Digital Receipt Transfer via POS and Mobile Server
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Solution Overview
Problem
Consumers face difficulties in organizing and retrieving paper receipts for past transactions, which can lead to time-consuming searches and potential losses due to misplaced or damaged receipts, especially for cash transactions that are not stored in conventional point-of-sale systems.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for transferring digital receipt data to mobile devices, where a point-of-sale system generates digital receipt data and transfers it to a receipt data server, with identifiers allowing mobile devices to access and manage the data, facilitating organization and retrieval through a receipt management application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If consumers store paper receipts manually, then they can retain proof of transactions, but they face difficulties in organizing and retrieving specific receipts
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates digital copies of paper receipts by capturing images or scanning them, then stores these copies in a structured database. This allows consumers to retrieve receipts electronically without handling physical papers, solving both retention reliability and retrieval ease simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a receipt management system with database storage and search functionality as an intermediary between the physical receipt and the consumer. This intermediary organizes receipts with metadata (date, merchant, category) and provides efficient search capabilities, eliminating the manual sorting and searching problems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If consumers organize paper receipts by date or subject, then they can categorize transactions, but the high-level categorization cannot be altered easily and may not match future needs
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic, multi-level categorization where consumers can create, modify, and reorganize categories at any time. The database structure allows flexible assignment of receipts to different categories without physical reorganization, enabling the system to adapt to changing organizational needs effortlessly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds multiple organizational dimensions (date, merchant, category, custom tags) beyond simple linear filing. Consumers can view and filter receipts through any dimension simultaneously, transforming the single-dimension paper filing system into a multi-dimensional digital organization system.
3Device complexity
If cash transactions are processed without digital storage, then point-of-sale systems remain simple, but consumers lose the ability to electronically access transaction records
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary digital capture of cash transaction receipts at the point of sale, immediately converting physical receipts into digital format with metadata. This preliminary action ensures transaction records are preserved electronically from the moment of purchase, preventing future information loss while maintaining simple POS hardware.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for transferring digital receipt data to mobile devices. A point-of-sale (“POS”) system generates digital receipt data as part of a sales transaction. The point-of-sale (“POS”) system and a mobile device, possibly also along with a receipt data server, interoperate with one another to transfer digital receipt data generated to the mobile device. In some embodiments, the point-of-sale (“POS”) system transfers digital receipt data for a sales transaction to the receipt data server. An identifier, such as, for example, an application identifier or transaction identifier, is stored along with the digital receipt data to match the digital receipt data with the mobile device. The mobile device subsequently uses the identifier to access the digital receipt data from the receipt data server. In other embodiments, the point-of-sale (“POS”) system transfers digital receipt data directly to the mobile device.